2 From UJF’s Chief Executive Officer
UJF President’s Message
is as focused on the future BY DIANE SLOYER as much as the present. We The Jewish calendar tends to have both the 35,000-foot envelop us with many holidays view required to plan for in short periods of time, tomorrow and the handsespecially during this time of on partnerships that make year. I sit to write this message it possible for us to care for with our first full week of work our community today. We in over one month. do this in collaboration with We welcome the New Year, our organizational partners ask for forgiveness and repent and our most committed for our sins and misdeeds Diane Sloyer, UJF CEO and marvel at the opportunity to start leaders and donors. This view has led us to engage in a fresh and strive to be better. And then we welcome Sukkot, the festival of booths, and strategic plan to guide us into the future. finish strong with the joyous celebration of LIFE & LEGACY is securing our Jewish Simchat Torah - celebrating the culmination communal future, and our new security initiative is a result of that view. and restarting of reading the Torah. I am excited to share that David Gordon During the Sukkot holiday there is a tradition to read the Book of Kohelet - will stay on a third year as President so he can Ecclesiastes. The book struggles with the see through the innovative and impactful meaning of life and death and also purpose. changes he and the board have brought to King Solomon, who many believe authored Federation. We look forward to sharing the Kohelet, sees this as an opportunity to move results of the strategic plan efforts with the community toward the end of the year. forward. Our work is impactful, and inspiring. The concept of a challenge or a struggle leaves me with renewed dedication to seek We focus locally, and serve as a global Jewish inspiration and to embrace every moment leader, doing essential work in Israel and and opportunity. A theme of Kohelet is that throughout the Jewish world. Ultimately, it’s not what we do but why everything has its appointed time and after four years at Federation, I believe our time we do it — which is to create the kind of enduring Jewish community we all want is here and now! Our Federation continues to identify and need, based on shared goals and Jewish and address our greatest challenges and values. Thank you for allowing me to be part opportunities. As the Federation of today, of this amazing journey. Please join us in we are the one local Jewish organization that making a difference.
has helped strengthen the BY DAVID GORDON viability of our agencies It’s that time of year. and synagogues through The recent Jewish holidays, the Harold Grinspoon including Simchat Torah LIFE & LEGACY program which is called z’man which UJF has brought to simchateinu (the time of our community. UJF has our happiness), are distant just brought the Secure memories. Before we know Community Network it, the end of the secular (SCN) to our community year will be coming. And to bolster the safety of our with the end of the calendar year comes the onslaught of UJF President David Gordon community in our Jewish facilities. UJF has conducted requests (including UJF’s) for charitable giving. But as you consider city-wide rallies against antisemitism and our request, there’s one thing you should in support of our Israeli brethren as well as appreciate: by picking up our call and connecting us to and serving the broader making a gift, you will end up happier at community with our Reading Partners, the end of the call than you were before you 3SQUARE, and Dignity Grows projects of our Jewish Community Relations Council picked up the phone. Really! Given that I make lots of “asks” on (JCRC). UJF has funded various startbehalf of Federation, I found research up programs of Schoke Jewish Family on the psychology of giving reported in Service, Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy, the HealthDay News on Aug. 15, 2017 to be Stamford Jewish Community Center, and fascinating: “Generosity really is its own our community synagogues and agencies. reward, with the brain seemingly hardwired Connecting young families to their Jewish for happiness in response to giving… roots through PJ Library programming Scientists in Switzerland used brain scans and books and adults of common interests to track activity in brain regions associated through our Rothschild Society, Cardozo with socializing, decision-making and Society, Maimonides Society, Grandparents happiness. They found that even small acts Networking Group, and now our Boomer’s of generosity -- or just promising to be Engagement Network (BEN) are focal charitable -- triggered brain changes that points of UJF’s engagement efforts. UJF has kept our Jewish community connected make people happier…” HealthDay News further reported and informed through this newspaper, the that Kit Yarrow, a professor emeritus of New Jewish Voice. UJF has welcomed new consumer psychology at Golden Gate families to the community and new babies University, believed that the overall findings to their families with the Shalom Stamford were “not surprising at all. We, as humans, program. UJF has reached out, connected, function best when we feel connected to and supported both here and abroad. And each other… We’re designed to respond there is so much more. All that is why, when you get a telephone empathically to each other, and for our self-interest to be balanced by protection call in the next two months from a UJF of the greater good. In other words, we’re volunteer or professional, PLEASE pick pre-wired to receive pleasure from helping up the phone, and PLEASE make a very generous pledge. Your generosity makes others, which includes generosity.” Over the past year UJF has done a a world of difference, and according to world of good both in our community the scientists, it will make you happy! So, and abroad. United Jewish Federation please give - and be happy that you did!
Our Time is Here and Now!
A Warm Welcome from UJF
Be Happy
UPCOMING DEADLINE December-January Issue Deadline: Friday, November 5, 2021 _________ Email submissions to sandy@ujf.org You should receive notification that your submission was received! Mikaela Ritchie moved to downtown Stamford in September.
Grandfather Gerry Emple enjoys a visit with his new grandson Toby, born to Marissa and Artem Emple.
(Courtesy of UJF) This fall, United Jewish Federation’s Director of Campaign and Community Engagement, Sharon Franklin, welcomed newcomers and babies to the community with a Shalom Welcome visit. This includes a personal
visit and a welcome bag filled with gifts, coupons, information for newcomers and new parents. If you are new to town or know of someone with a new baby, contact sharon@ujf.org or call 203-3211373 ext. 109.
NOVEMBER 2021 | CHESHVAN - KISLEV 5782
CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES November 5...............................................................................................5:27 pm November 12.............................................................................................4:20 pm November 19.............................................................................................4:14 pm November 26.............................................................................................4:10 pm December 3................................................................................................4:08 pm
